CAPUTO: For MSU, Michigan it is all about Ohio State at this point

It’s all about Ohio State for Michigan and Michigan State, although for much different reasons.

For Michigan State, which clinched a spot in the Big Ten Championship game by defeating Northwestern Saturday, it’s an opportunity to prove all the Spartans have accomplished isn’t merely the product of a subpar schedule. The Spartans will face Ohio State in the conference title game.

For Michigan, which suffered another disappointing loss Saturday at Iowa, it will be a challenge just not to get slaughtered in the Big House this coming Saturday by the Buckeyes.

It’s not the Big 2 and the rest of the conference anymore.

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Elite college football programs in the Big Ten exist only in Columbus, Ohio. The “tattoo gate” scandal threw the Buckeyes off track for only a brief period. A year, to be exact.

That was before Urban Meyer. Ohio State has yet to lose under Meyer – 23 straight games.

The issue isn’t whether Michigan State has a better chance of beating Ohio State than Michigan. The Spartans clearly do. The question is how the Spartans will react the first time they see a truly quality college football squad this year.

The Big Ten is down other than Ohio State, Wisconsin and, perhaps, MSU. The Buckeyes and Badgers were not on the Spartans’ schedule.

The Spartans have an outstanding program under Mark Dantonio. They are a regional power. What type of record would the Spartans have, honestly, playing an SEC schedule? It was impressive how the Spartans took care business at Northwestern Saturday, but Ohio State is in a different realm.

The good part is the Spartans control their own destiny. While the Spartans loss to Ohio State last season was misleading in regard to final score (It was 17-16, but the game ended with the Buckeyes taking a knee deep in MSU territory), it was relatively close. It’s conceivable the Spartans won’t get blown off the field in Indy. While beating Ohio State is improbable, it wouldn’t be impossible.

The idea Ohio State “hasn’t beaten anybody, either” isn’t true. The Buckeyes defeated Wisconsin, which routed Minnesota on the road Saturday. The Badgers got jobbed at Arizona State, which has been a quality PAC 12 program this season, or OSU would be their only loss and they’d be pushing for a spot in the Top 10.

On the other hand, there doesn’t seem to be a possible scenario that has Michigan upsetting Ohio State – even at Michigan Stadium.

The question isn’t whether Ohio State will win, but by how much.

Michigan has already been humiliated by MSU this season. State was the favorite in the game, so it wasn’t unexpected. It was how the Wolverines lost which was so embarrassing.

The Wolverines have trouble getting 200 yards total offense in a game. The 98 on Devin Gardner’s jersey stands for the over-under how many yards he will pass for these days (he had 98 Saturday). Oh, and that’s before the issue of turnovers.

Adding to the picture is Meyer. He has claimed he will not run up the score to impress BCS voters. But this is Michigan, the school Woody Hayes went for two to make it 50 way back in ’68. Nothing would sell better in Ohio than running up the score on the Wolverines.

If that happens, it will be the most devastating blow yet this season for Wolverines’ coach Brady Hoke, who would be wise to can his “Ohio” comments this week.